New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-10
A BIG BRONZE BUFFALvs HEAD CAST
THE LARGEST PIECE or WORK OF ITS KIND EVER
DONE IN THIS COUNTRY.


DONE IN THIS COUNTRY.
For several weeks passers by Tifanys have had
their attention attracted by huge clay model OF q
buifalOs head exhibited Ia Of the windows As a
placard informed those who-sopped to look, It was the
model executed by f. Kemeys, jr, for bronze casting
to be placed the east portal of the Union Pacific
Railroad bridge the Missouri between Council
Bluffs and Omaha Yesterday there was witnessed by a
number of interested spectators the translation into
enduring bronze OF this piece OF colossal sculpture
This accomplished at the foundry OF +. Favy,
young Frenchman, who, fresh from the celebrated
foundries of Barbedcnnc and Thebaut, settled in New
York five six years ago and has been striving ever
since to gain reputation for honest and artistic work.
manshp. Visitors the workshop, No. 2l5 Forsyth
ST., found themselves in gh.roofci building about
fifty feet square One side crossed by gallery to
which access was gained by adderlike stair and one
end was occupied by furnace nom the middle OF which
prOradcd like gigantic tongue below the eyes formed
by the glaring fires metal trough. This overhnns
deep pit in the floor In which bnilt OF wooden
ca!ssOn surrounding the mould into which shortly was
TO be turned the metal now seethng in the furnace AN
two huge spgots OF iron closing holes leading nto
the mould surmOunted the boxeiin matrix. In
corner was sort OF subsidiary furnace containing three
large crucOies v hcn held between them about 200
pounds OF metal.
Weeks bad been expended in the preparation OF the
mould First the original model covered over with
a hin layer OF French casting sand which tamped
inches plaster and then piece by piece this matrix was
removed. Then II WAS thoroughly dried and the hun
"a
formed of the French sand aud the whole SUR
rounded by the wooden casing referred NJ
and lis assistant T. Waiter had superintendent all this
ami at o'clock yesterday afternoon were anxlOusy
awaiting the outcome OF all this care and labor. More
particularly they anxious this casting the
largest ever made in piece In the United States
six thousand pounds of metal bubblcd IN the furnace
and crucibes aud should the least precauOn have
omitted the whole OF this amount of metal might DO
thrown kissing through the foundry instead Of quietly
filling the uatrix.
Al last the signal given, group OF bOused work
men with their hands enyeloped IN huge woollen
muniers approached the small furnace In the corner.
glowing crucibe drawn out by tackle aud placed
In ring from which extended TWO long iron handles.
These handles were grasped by two salwart worknel
the kissing pot TO the edge OF the pit Quickly
the crucblc empted into the cast iron trough the
met blazing with strange and beautiful coors Tgrce
times this repeated and the metal somewhat cOo.er
but still molten glowed and writbcd like living thing
In It's iron cradle. ThCn came the crucial point Two
gigantic prodded with long iron rods the fire clay
tamplg above the tOngue-ke trough which kept the
metal in the furnace. An entrance at last effected
and with gasp and gurge the nery stream rushed out
II rapidly filed the trough below with metal and the
foundry with clouds of suhOcatlns smoke When 1t had
ceased to bar passed through rings 10 the iron
spgOts which now surrounded by metal. They
pulled out by main force like refractory teeth ana
in ten seconds the liquid metal had run through the
the mould. Through the vent holes, carefully left
great pufs of steam superheaed air ana metallic
"a These lighted by OF the wOrkncn with
a large torch and blaZed like huge witch candles.
The foundry master cautiously advanced through tho
binding. sufOcating vapOrs and pecrcd iDto the PIT
Then raised glad shout OF tout ben" The casting
was successful Hall an hour aIerward the founier
and his friends gathered In neghbOrng cafe ana drank
10 OF the work Speeches were made ana al
appeared immensely happy